Pin setting device



June 13, 1933.. B. s. lGoU PIN SETTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 3l, 1951A 3Sheeis-Sheet l June 13, 1933. B s {GOU 1,913,673

` PIN SETTING DEvIcE 4 Filed Oct. 31, 1931 3`Sheets-She-et 2 June 13,1933. B. S. IGOU,

PIN SETTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 3l, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June13, 1933 BERGDOLL S. IGOU, OF UNIVERSITY CITY, MSSOUBI PIN SETTINGDEVICE Application led October 31, 1931. Serial No. 572,351.

This invention relates to pin setting devices for bowling alleys.

One of the objects of this invention 1s to provide a device having asuitable holder or tpmplate in which the pins may be arranged intherthan vertical position, means wherebythe template may be lowered toan alley and tripping mechanism for upending and releasing the pinsin-Asuohwa manner that the pins will be set in 'proper arrangementLpnthe alley and in'an upright position. *WA/n alley `1"'is V"preferablyconstructed of Other objects will be apparent fr om the following detaildescription taken in connection with the accompanying draw1ngs,1n

5 which-n F ig. 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation.

wig. 3 is a plan view of the holder or Vphate.

1g. 's an inverted plan view of the holder or tel te.

Fig. 5 is a deta1l`s`eeti nal .view of the tripping mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view oncline 6-6, Fig. 3.

While it is to be understood that the pin setting mechanism may be use dand 1s adapted to be used in connection with regulation bowling alleys,the drawings, for con- Y venience, showit arranged in connection with aportable alley.

Before rdetail"deseription`A ot the device is made a briet` generaldescription will assist in understanding the construction and operationof the device. It will be understood, of course, that the game oftenpins `is played upon an alley constructed of hardwood at the rear ofwhich a series of pins A are set in conventional position. A ball B isbowled along the alley with the intent of knocking pins. Mechanism isprovided and arranged in such a manner that when the template is loweredthe pins are upended toa vertical position. Thus when the templateislowered the pins, which have been placed upon 'the template in positionslightly inclined from the horizontal, are tripped and pass Y.throughtheir respective guides in a vertical position and are therebycaused tobe properly positionedsonthe alley.

polished hardwood which, as shown inthe particular embodimentillustrated in the drawings, rests upon longitudinal beams 2 and issupported by legs .3. Gutters 4 are provlded on each-side of the alleyto direct the ball when Ait rolls oflvthmalley and a ltgrclligh 'isprovided for the returrof the a n A pit 6 is provided at the rear andhas a floor 7, side aprons 8, a transverse member 9 and a hingedbackboard 10. The backboard `10 is held resiliently in closed positionby springs 11. The pin setting device is posi- Toncd-at`therear of thealley and in front of the pit. It icludesarigid frame having verticalvside members 12 and a cross"inem ber 13. The cross member 13 includesbosses 14 constituting vertical guideways for reciprocating mechanismwhich includes vertical side members 15 Vprojecting through andreciprocating in thebosses 14.

vThe vertical reciprocating members 15 are connected at their tops'byarhandle bar or cross memberl. The reciprocatingfmembers 15 support fromtheir bottom a pin holder or template 17. Ears 18 are provided on thetemplate, preferably cast integral with it, by which the template maybe, secured to the members 15. Stud bolts 19 pass through holes in theears 18 and have engagement with internal threads in the members 15.

The mechanism is counterweighted by springs 20 each of which has itsupper end `secured to a ring 21 depending from the cross member 13 andits lower end secured to a lug 22 projecting from an ear 18 on thetemplate.

The template is provided withv a series of depending cylindricalguideways 23 by 10o means of which the pins are caused to assume anupright position and by means of which the pins are properly located onthe alley.

5 The top of the template is provided with beds above the guide members23 so fashioned as to support the pins in a position slirhtlyinclinedfrom the horizontal, as best shown ilrllig. 6. Each of the bedsincludes a concave portion 2l, a shoulder 25 and a bevelled portion 26.v

Mechanism is provided to act, when the template has been lowered, insuch a manner as to upend the pins from their inclined po- 5 sitioncausing them to fall through the guides 23, and assume anV uprightposition in their proper lgcationon the alley. This mechanism includesarms 27 pivotally mounted, in a 'A manner which will hereafter bedescribed, on

2 the bottom of the template and projecting through openings 28 in thetemplate in such 1. position as to engage the shank of the p in. The topof each arm 27 hasY concave portion 29, as best shown in Fig. 3,toconform to the shank of the pin.

rockshaft is rotated and the arm is caused to upend the pin.

2. In combination with an alley, a device of the class describedincluding a .template having spaced beds to receive pins in other thanvertical position and openings adjacent said beds through which the-pins may respectively drop when upended, guides dependlng from thetemplate below said openings, a series of parallel rockshafts on thetemplate, connections whereby movement of one rockshaft will move alllof the shafts, arms secured to the rockshafts adjacent the beds andadapted to engage the pins and upend them, and a crank secured to one ofthe rockshafts for engagement with the alley when the template is movedto lowermost pos1t1on.

3. A device of the classdescribed including a template, means by whichto vertically reciprocate the template,l beds arranged adjiL/ cen:1spacedl openings on/the elnpiate and eac comprisglg a/c n/avortiWon/tleftCl/Dplat/flllallbrtion Olnthe periphery /o/tle open/ing,"a"gui eepending from the ,/i/// Each of the arms 27 1s seclrlll-Q-a rocFtemplate below each openmg, and means opshaft 30 and rotates with it.Onebr'ore4 arms 27 may bie/secured to the same rockshaft 30, as bestshown in Fig. 4. Each rock- 30 shaft has a crank 31 and the severalrockshaft-s 30 are connected togetlfilbglinks.

The rockshafts 30 we Yrncunte for rotation in lugs'33depending from thetemplate 17. /g/Q'or more arms 34, two as shown in the 5 drawings, aresecured to a rockshaft 30; a

shoe 35 is pivotally connected to the end of each arm 34 and is soarranged that when the template 17 is lowered the shoe or shoes 35engage the alley, rocking the appertinent Y 40 rockshaft 30 and throughthe links thel remaining rockshafts 3Q, thereby moving the arms 27vandthus upending the pins, as il- /J/ Ylustrated in Fig. 5.

It will thus be seen that mechanism simple in construction and operationhas been provided to attain the objects of this invention. It will beobvious that parts of the invention may be used without thewhole/andt atvarious changes maybe inade in the details of Y Plv fconstruction,4within theiscope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of this invention.

I claim :v

55 1. In combination with an alley, a device of the classdesgribedfincluding astemplate, a

erable upon movement of the template to lowermost position to upend thepins.

f/"f BERGDOLL S. IGOU.

